The Akron Symphony Orchestra is a professional orchestra based in
Akron, Ohio. The ASO was founded in 1949.
In 2006, the ASO appointed
Christopher Wilkins music director. Wilkins has agreed to serve as director through 2021.
The Akron Symphony Orchestra is operated by the Greater Akron Musical Association (GAMA).
History
The founding of the orchestra dates to 1949, when John Barry, "business manager of the Akron Beacon Journal, present
dMabel Graham with $500 to start a symphony orchestra."
The first performance of the Akron Symphony Orchestra was on Feb. 24, 1953, in a concert "led by John Francis Farinacci, a high school teacher and band director," at
Central-Hower High School
The National Inventor's Hall of Fame STEM High School is a public high school in the Akron Public School District that serves the city of Akron, Ohio since its creation in 2012. Their school colors are turquoise and chrome. Its predecessor was C ...
.
On October 9, 1973, "
E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall opens with a world premiere by Mexican composer
Carlos Chavez
Carlos may refer to:
Places
;Canada
* Carlos, Alberta, a locality
;United States
* Carlos, Indiana, an unincorporated community
* Carlos, Maryland, a place in Allegany County
* Carlos, Minnesota, a small city
* Carlos, West Virginia
;Elsewhere ...
" and performed by the Akron Symphony.
Conductors
Past conductors have included Laszlo Krausz (starting in 1954),
Louis Lane (starting in 1959),
Margaret Hillis (starting 1971; first woman to conduct the Akron Symphony), Alan Balter (starting 1983),
Keith Lockhart (starting 1988 as Assistant Conductor; Lockhart later went on to become music director of the
Boston Pops Orchestra), and Ya-Hui Wang (starting 2000).
has guest conducted the Akron Symphony on multiple occasions, including in January 2019 (to conduct Tchaikovsky's Fourth Symphony),
January 2017 (to conduct Beethoven's Ninth Symphony),
and February 2008 (to conduct Mahler's Second Symphony). The encore performance of Mahler's Second Symphony by Zander, which occurred on February 10, 2008, was the Akron Symphony Orchestra's debut in
Severance Hall
Severance Hall is a concert hall located in the University Circle section of Cleveland, Ohio. Opened in 1931, Severance Hall was named after patrons John L. Severance and his wife, Elisabeth Huntingdon DeWitt Severance, and serves as the hom ...
.
References
External links
Akron Symphony Orchestra Home Page
Musical groups from Akron, Ohio
Tourist attractions in Akron, Ohio
Musical groups established in 1949
1949 establishments in Ohio
Orchestras based in Ohio
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